“The COVID-19 crisis highlights very clearly the need for strong press as an institution which informs society with balanced fact-based information and enables open debate. At the same time, the economic recession caused by the crisis has endangered the ability of the media to play a responsible role. In order to maintain the strong, high-quality press at all levels, support measures are needed, in particular to ensure the survival of local and regional media companies. Particular attention must be paid to the situation of small countries, where, due to the small size of the market, the resources for local and regional media to exist are limited, and this is particularly critical.” Jan Trei, Member of Viimsi Rural Municipality Council and rapporteur for the own-initiative opinion on Media in the Digital Decade: An Action Plan made these remarks during a CoR plenary session.
The opinion stresses that independent local and regional media, regardless of their business model, are facing persistent financial problems on the market and that their situation is getting worse with the COVID-19 pandemic. It calls for effective support especially in the context that local media represent their regions and help people understand that they are part of a community. Recommendations put forward include that European Commission must encourage the competent authorities of the EU Member States to clarify and coordinate, as far as possible, the financial assistance made available specifically for local and regional media in the relevant EU programmes when designing concrete instruments and measures under the Action Plan.
Trei stressed that local news media play an important role in public life and political debate as they promote political knowledge and participation. "Independent local news media are the backbone of democracy in society and must be supported."